The present invention relates to centrifugal extractors and, more particularly, to improvements in equipment for extracting moisture from rotary filter elements following a washing operation.
Many types of vehicles and equipment utilize in the air intakes of their engines a filter in the form of a suitable filtering media contained between inner and outer concentric cylinders of perforated metal, closed at the ends by annular metal discs. As the media collects particles from the air passing therethrough it becomes increasingly more difficult for air to flow at the required rate, making replacement necessary. The working environment of some equipment requires replacement of the filters at very frequent intervals.
Due to the cost and construction of this type of rotary filter, it is more economical to restore the media to more or less its original condition by washing, rinsing and drying, rather than discarding the unit after a single use. To this end, the prior art includes a number of types of apparatus for washing and/or rinsing such filter elements, including applicant's U.S. Pat. No. 4,299,245. Centrifugal-type extractors for spinning such filter units to extract a significant portion of the fluid therefrom following the washing and rinsing operation has also been devised, the most pertinent example of which applicant is aware being that of U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,309. The apparatus of the present invention differs from such prior art principally in the provision of the features set forth in the following objects of the invention.
In a general sense, the principal is to provide novel and improved centrifugal extraction apparatus for removing fluid from rotary air filter units following washing.
More specifically, objects of the invention are to provide centrifugal extraction equipment having improved mounting means for the rotating support for open, cylindrical air filters, and to provide simple yet practical means for supporting rotary air filter having a wide variety of outer diameters and axial lengths upon the rotating portion of centrifugal extraction apparatus.
Other objects will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.